Raise your hand if you like coffee. How about delicious, fresh food? (I’m currently raising both of my hands at the moment.) Café Stream is the new kid on the Market Street block and it’s got everyone buzzing. Especially me.
I sat down with owner of Café Stream, Meg, and she gave me the low-down. Meg had her first job in catering and later worked in high-end cookware. She then worked in the financial business for 14 years as she raised her family. Sadly, her daughter was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in high school. (She just celebrated her first year clean in April, though!) However, this hard news sparked Meg to think more deeply about childhood cancer and the food that kids are eating. She wondered if hormones and preservatives in food could be playing a role in cancer in young people.
The Siphon Method
And that is ultimately what inspired her to open up this quaint and cozy café. Café Stream opened on June 6th with Meg’s vision of providing others with fresh and tasty food options and a warm, inviting atmosphere. And she has done just that. For any and all coffee lovers, this place is a MUST. They serve their coffee brewed in a variety of different methods: Siphon, pour over, and cold brew. The Siphon method, which I’d never seen before, was like making your coffee via a cool science experiment. The result: smooooth, delicious joe. The coffee comes from Fat Puppy Roasters from Myerstown near Lancaster.
Does it get any cooler than a café that features local coffee? Just wait. All the breads are homemade, as are the baked goods. Their signature espresso brownie with coffee ganache is NOT to be missed. Today they had lemon poppy muffins made with Chobani Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Healthy and delicious? Yes please! And that’s exactly what Meg’s goal is with Café Stream. She personally goes to the local farmers markets several times a week and is dedicated to providing her customers with fresh and healthy food while keeping it as local as possible. Like I said, so cool.
And delicious too. On my recent visit to this hotspot, I had the breakfast sandwich, and I also tried the carrot cake pancakes. I couldn’t resist. And I’m glad I didn’t. The breakfast sandwich featured fresh, local eggs, turkey sausage, creamy Swiss cheese and avocado on an English muffin, mmm. The carrot cake pancakes were out of this world, like dessert for breakfast and in the form of a pancake. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Of course, they serve up a mean lunch too. The weekly special is currently a turkey, Brie and cranberry melt, which is Meg’s favorite thing on the menu right now. It’s made with turkey meatloaf instead of cold cuts, so it’s an innovative twist to a classic favorite and a perfect dish as we head into the fall months.
So where did the name come from? I was wondering the same thing! Meg is a lover of water, she says. The idea of a stream symbolizes going forward, a kind of heading-up-stream philosophy for life, and of course her fabulous new café. The image of a heron is on the front door and throughout the café, which signifies good luck. Love it.
Great food, good vibes, and an “upstream” positive vision, this place is a must try (and then become a regular). Trust me, you’ll be kicking yourself if you don’t.
Hours: Mon-Wed 7:30am-4pm, Thursday 7:30am -5pm, Fri & Sat 7:30am-8pm, Sunday brunch 9am-4pm
Number: 570-522-0012
Address: 428 Market Street
Follow them!
FB: Facebook.com/CafeStream
Instagram: cafe_stream